Jon Knutsson Barbro Andersdotter
 Part 1

Church of Järnskog (Parish), Sweden: In this church yard rest many members of our Swedish family: Anna & Olof Andersson (Parents of Hulda); Olof (Brother of Hulda) & Kristina Allen and two daughters; Nils (Brother of Hulda) & Anna Allen & daughter Agnes; & Karin (Olsdotter) (Sister of Hulda), Anders Nilsson, & Gottfrid & Olga Nilsson.

In Ancient Times - According to tradition, the population in Järnskog didn't have a church closer at hand than in Medskog, Norway, during the first Christian period. At the end of the 14th century - a so called wooden redkyrka was built on the homestead Stommen along the river between Beted and Slärteg. This old church was destroyed in the 18th century, but the old churchsite and - yard are still taken care of by the church council. The Present Church - The number of parishioners increased and a new, bigger church was needed. "On the 4 June, 1695, the new stonechurch in Järnskog was built in the blessed name of Jesus Christ, in honour of his holy name." The tower was finished in 1729. This and the main building were built of granite that was delivered from all the farms in the parish. The vestry was built in 1835. The Chandeliers, altar-piece, pulpet, etc., were carved at different years by different people. The first organ was received in 1896, was mechanical and included five stops. In 1951, the organ was rebuilt to include 20 stops. - The Tower Bells - The tower has three bells. The Small Bells from the old Stommen Church and bears the inscription, "The words of the Lord remain forever." The Middle Bells was founded in Karlstad in 1724 and bears the attempted translation of the inscription, "If you always keep the end of your life in mind, you will never do any harm," and The Big Bells was founded in Stockholm in 1929 and bears the inscription, "My soul shall praise the Lord, my tongue shall praise his name." - - (Phamplet, The Church of Järnskog) (Picture contributed by Rena Johnson McAuly: Notice the cemetery at closer range and how it is laid out)

Paternal Family of Hulda Oleson Swanson
Great-Grandmother of Karolyn Rae Roberts

The ancestors of Hulda Olson Swanson have lived in Järnskog,Varmland,Sweden since the 17th century. The grandparents of Gunnar Persson were neighbors to Olof and Anna Andersson; Gunnar is also related coming through an earlier ancestor. Nine persons moved from Erikesstugan, Korsbyn on 10/17/1882 to Övre Garse, Söpple. They were Olof & Anna Andersson and their children, Gustaf with wife Britta, Hulda, Olof, Jr., Karin, Emil, & Nils. All the children were born in Erikesstuga, Korsbyn. Erikesstuga was tore down in the beginning of the 1900's.
Between 1868 - 1927, twenty-four people emigrated from Söpple to the USA, but fourteen of them in the 1880's. Most of them were young men but seven of the emigrants were women. Only five people went back to Sweden to live. Nineteen people settled in America and sent letters back to relatives now and then and some came back to visit. (Söpple, p171, History of Emigrants) Of the eight children of Olof Andersson & Anna Andersdotter, six of them had went to America, these being Gustaf, Hulda, Abel, Charles, Olof, & Emil. Olof went back to Sweden after a two year stay in Minneapolis. Nils and Karin stayed in Sweden. (Söpple, p174)
 The starting place for the emmigrants (Hulda, Gustaf & Britta, & Emil) that came to America was from Övre Garse (Söpple, p59). Abel & Charles started to America from Korsbyn. (Picture: (Söpple,p8)
Ordinary route for immigrants of west-Värmland. From Söpple/Korsbyn by horse and wagon for about 15 miles to Åmotfors railroad station. The train crossed the Norwegian border to Christiania (now Oslo), and at this point they boarded the ship (S/S Hero of the Wilson Line) to Hull of Great Britian. They would travel by train across Great Britian to Liverpool and then board a ship to New York. (Map / information is given by May Dahlbeck, Sweden) I think they would have traveled by train then to their destination from New York, to Minneapolis, MN; Sioux City, IA; & Lead, ND. In the magazine "Arvika Nyheter, Friday 14th, June 2003" written by Kjell "Keeper" Emanuelsson states that the first from the west part of Värmland in the Deadwood area of SD were Abel Olsson and his twin Hulda.
Trip from Christiania (Oslo), Norway to Hull, Great Britian Segment: The S/S Hero ws built in 1866 in Hull, Great Britian. In 1895, this ship was badly damaged in a collision in the English Channel and was sold for scrap. Here is an ad for travel from Christiania to Hull. The transatlantic steamship companies from 1865 on which operated out of British ports took a larger percentage of the emigrants coming out or Norway every year. The main reason was the much better conditions on these ships and the fact that they were much faster. Many people had suffered and many died during the transatlantic crossing on the sailing ships. The passage fee on the steamships becamer lower each year due to competition between the steamship lines. Along with the emigrants, the ships brought all kids of cargo such as fish, live cattle, timber, & pyrites. Some times they carried textiles and coal from Hull to Norway. By 1867, the Wilson Line had a weekly service from Christiania to Hull for every Friday. The Wilson Line did not have much competition and started out with poor conditions for the passengers but improved over the years. After the Civil War, more immigrants made there way to America and with that development more Steamship lines gave service to Norway. In 1881, Charles P. Wilson, Principal Officer for the Government of Great Britian, made a trip from Christiania to Hull to evaluate the conditions aboard the ship for immigrants. His evaluation is as follows: The sleeping accommodations had two shelves on each side of the vessel running the entire length of the compartment with no curtains for privacy. They were not divided in any way for individual berths and the shelf was too short to stretch out full length. On the outer edge of the board was an 8" high board and a similar board against the iron ship wall. The area was well ventilated and enough light. There were two ladders with handrails down to the area. Agents came on board from the Atlantic Lnethat would eventually take them to America to supervise the immigrants. They tried to keep the families together, and make sure they had ample space. There were police authorities were in attendance at the gangways and only those with tickets boarded. Half an hour after sailing, they ate a meal of coffee, bread, biscuit and butter. At midnight when I made my rounds, many of the sleeping shelf area was vacant, with families huddled together and no one undressed. The area was well lit. Breakfast was served at 7:30 a.m. with bread, butter, coffee, milk, sugar, salt, biscuit, & raw salt herring. Dinner was served at 11:30 a.m. with pea soup or mixed vegetable soup thickened with pearl barley and flour with beef or mutton bioled in the soup, potatoes, bread or biscuit, and herring. Supper was at 5 p.m. and was the same as breakfast. The food was well cooked and enough. The was a good supply of water to be had whenever one chose. The privy arrangements were usually small, cramped, dark, no water, and to close together for the men's and the women's. The entrances sometimes were not protected from the weather, and evil smelling. The decks were sprinkled with carbolic acid and dusted with sawdust. They could use more sawdust and swept every day to keep a better odor and a little cleaner. Sometimes the sexes were not separated but later were in keeping the single men and single women in different compartments, the single women with the families. Later, light was added to the privies. The steamer arrives on Sunday at Hull, Great Britian.

JK - Jon Knutsson - Born in the 1600's - Lived in Ivarsbyn,Östervallskog,Varmland,Sweden. - mBarbro Andersdotter bLived in Ivarsbyn,Östervallskog,Varmland,Sweden. - Olof, the following was Child 4 of Jon & Barbro.

JK4 - Olof Jonsson b1705 Ivarsbyn,Östervallskog,Varmland,Sweden. Lived in Saxebyn,Järnskog,(S). Lived in Brårud,S.Lian,Järnskog,(S). Died of ålderdomssvaghet 1-23-1789 S.Lian,Järnskog,(S) - mMarit Rasmusdotter (daughter of Rasmus Rasmusson & Elin Knutsdotter) b1718 N.Ivarsbyn,Östervallskog,Varmland,Sweden. Lived in Ivarsbyn,Östervallskog,(S). Lived in Saxebyn,Järnskog,(S). Lived in Brårud,S.Lian,Järnskog,(S). Died of håll och sting 12-17-1797 S.Lian,Järnskog,(S).

 

 

 

 

 

 


(Picture contributed by Rena Johnson McAuly: Gustaf with Ingeborg)

 

 

(Pictures contributed by May Dahlbeck: Front of Funeral Home Obit is picture of Abel Olson and the back looks like the drawing done by May to the left) (Picture:, Abel Olson & Hulda Olson Swanson, twins taken at Albert Pollocks Studio, Deadwood,,SD contributed by May Dahlbeck) (Picture: Tombstone of Abel Oleson, Masonic Cemetery, Lead,SD, contributed by LeeAnn Paananen, Library Director of Lead,SD))

 


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April 22, 2007

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